A 1956 Ferrari 290 MM by Scaglietti is likely to sell for around $25m-30m at RM Sotheby's.
The car was designed and built for famous racing driver Juan Manuel Fangio to compete in the 1956 Mille Miglia.
 Juan Manuel Fangio raced the 1956 Ferrari 290 MM |
Only four 290 MMs were ever produced, of which the present lot is the best surviving example. It retains most of its original parts - including the V-12 engine, which has recently been rebuilt.
Following a storied racing career in Europe, it passed through the hands of several prestigious collectors in France and the US.
The 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R F1 car driven to victory by Fangio in the 1954 Grand Prix sold for £19.6m ($29.6m) in 2013.
Peter Wallman, car specialist at RM Sotheby's, comments: "It's hard to know where to start when describing just how important this 290 MM is.
"Driven by the greatest drivers of the 1950s and built for possibly THE greatest driver in history, this is a car with which Enzo Ferrari was personally involved and is a fundamental part of Ferrari folklore.
"Its originality, coupled with its extraordinary provenance and history, which are truly second to none, can only lead you to conclude that it is one of the most desirable and valuable cars that will ever come to the open market."
The lot will star in the Driven by Disruption sale in New York on December 10. The event will also feature Janis Joplin's psychedelic 1965 Porsche 365 1600 cabriolet, which carries an estimate of $400,000.
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